U.S. Court: Crypto Influencer Pleads Guilty in $1.8 Billion Fraud Case

Key points:

• rypto promoter Rodney “Bitcoin Rodney” Burton has pleaded guilty in connection with the promotion of HyperFund, a scheme that allegedly caused $1.8 billion in investor losses.
• Investigators found that Burton helped recruit investors and earned at least $7.85 million from his involvement in the project.

Miami-based crypto promoter Rodney Burton, better known as Bitcoin Rodney, has pleaded guilty in a case tied to the promotion of HyperFund, an investment scheme that allegedly generated $1.8 billion in losses.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Burton participated in a conspiracy to provide unlicensed money transmission services and helped bring investors into the project. Funds were allegedly routed through entities presented as consulting firms that, in reality, operated as payment channels.

Prosecutors say Burton earned at least $7.85 million from his role in the scheme.

Promised Returns of Up to 1% Per Day

HyperFund operated between 2020 and 2022 and was marketed as a platform for earning passive income through cryptocurrency investments. Participants were encouraged to purchase memberships and were promised daily returns ranging from 0.5% to 1% until their initial investment had doubled or tripled.

The project's operators claimed that payouts were backed by profits from large-scale crypto mining operations. However, prosecutors allege that no such mining infrastructure actually existed. By 2021, many investors were already experiencing difficulties withdrawing funds, and payments eventually came to a near halt.

Burton now faces up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 23 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Crypto-related fraud continues to be a growing concern. According to the FBI, losses tied to cryptocurrency crimes reached $11.4 billion in 2025. The agency received more than 181,000 complaints, up 21% from the previous year. Investment scams accounted for the largest share of losses, totaling approximately $7.2 billion.